Drift: Warning, Pay Attention

Introduction

Hebrews 2:1–4 NIV

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Three weeks into this series on the book of Hebrews and last week was a particularly interesting one as we began some of the important motifs that you will find in the book. Remember that this is a sermon and it is written to a people that are being challenged in their faith. Probably the height of Christian perfection in the first century Christian experience. Following Jesus is costly....He always said it would cost us our life..... and these seemingly new believers are experiencing more than they bargained for.

Today we are going to talk about warnings. I was thinking about warnings this week and I came to the realization that I don’t much like them.

Warnings by definition: a statement or event that indicates a possible or impending danger, problem, or other unpleasant situation

They are to protect us but they infer there is something wrong with me or close to being wrong. Like the doctor last year telling me I needed to exercise a little more. Really skin and bones doctor.... you dont even know what it is like to carry around these tree trunks. But some warnings are needed and warranted.

There are important warnings when it comes to faith. Paul writes many in his letters to the churches he so loves. Revelation is full of warnings. These warnings are important because life is literally on the line. I think thats what drives some of the bad ones, right intentions, wrong message. Just the other day I saw another one of those billboards that had the “if you die today, do you know where youre going?” We hate that one right, bad theology, bad bedside manner.

Today begins a series of very serious warnings for the audience of Hebrews....not quite so fire and brimstone, but you get it.

Three weeks into this series on the book of Hebrews and last week was a particularly interesting one as we began some of the important motifs that you will find in the book. Remember that this is a sermon and it is written to a people that are being challenged in their faith. Probably the height of Christian perfection in the first century Christian experience. Following Jesus is costly....He always said it would cost us our life..... and these seemingly new believers are experiencing more than they bargained for.

Three weeks into this series on the book of Hebrews and last week was a particularly interesting one as we began some of the important motifs that you will find in the book. Remember that this is a sermon and it is written to a people that are being challenged in their faith. Probably the height of Christian perfection in the first century Christian experience. Following Jesus is costly....He always said it would cost us our life..... and these seemingly new believers are experiencing more than they bargained for.

This preacher is speaking encouragement and teachings and charging them to focus at the same time teaching them. He is doing this with poetic and precise language and movements, finding ways to extrapolate for them God’s mission in Jesus.

One of the important motifs is to show that Jesus is the culmination and superior object of their faith. He is greater than the great heroes of their belief and as a matter of fact they all pointed to Jesus as we will see. They motif began with the angels last week. The angels were the deliverers of these great messages and missions of God. And the preacher speaks into their experience by lifting their eyes from much too small of prayers to the greatest messenger, Jesus.

Then, in the middle of this great declaration of Jesus being supreme to any created messenger, the preacher leans in and says this is why it is important for you now.

When I preach it is always my intention to bring about a “so what” moment.....how does this apply to me? And the preacher does this here in this moment.

Thomas Long writes:

The Preacher, who has been directing the gaze of the congregation toward heaven and the exalted Son, abruptly redirects their vision away from heaven and toward earthly matters. He has been urging them to look up in order to see the exalted Son; now the Preacher exhorts them to look around, toward the character of their own lives, toward the danger of their “drifting away” (2:1). The organ and the choir have been thundering a doxology of the exalted Lord in chapter 1, but suddenly “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” gives way to “Take Time to Be Holy.” Ethics class begins, and the Preacher issues sharp and direct warnings for the pilgrim people. No wonder one commentator has called this section an ethical “salvo” and a “parenetic interlude” (Attridge, p. 63).

 Long, T. G. (1997). Hebrews (pp. 24–25). Louisville, KY: John Knox Press.

What is the message?

Well the preacher laid it out in the coming verses, we looked at these last week.

Hebrews 2:14–18 NIV

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:

The eternal God. Jesus there at creation, the sustainer of life, chose not to just be a sustainer. He came into the flesh. Salvation of humanity required humanity to pay a price and he did it....took it all on. Jesus becomes the high priest that makes a way to God.

The power of him who holds death and defeating fear and shame....DON’T MISS THIS MESSAGE!

Don’t drift!

As a matter of fact, the warning is more specific than that....the warning is do not drift from this message. Hold fast to it, live in it, continue in it.

This word for drift....

A dramatic word is employed for “drift away,” pararreō, which means “to flow by” or “slip away from.” It describes that carelessness of mind which, perhaps occupied by other things, is not aware it is losing ground. Plato used it of something slipping away from the memory, and Plutarch of a ring slipping from a finger. Another figure often suggested is that of a ship loose from its moorings. The danger highlighted is that of a great loss occurring unnoticed. The cause is not taking seriously the words spoken to them. Inattention or apathy will rob them of their treasure.

 Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (). Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.

One summer I was visiting some family on the lake. My brother and I took the paddle boat out and fished for a bit. I am so bad at fishing. impatient. I just cannot fathom a sport or hobby where it is a high possibility that you will have very little or no success....it is the vain side of me. Anyways that is not what this illustration is about. When we came back in I got our on the dock, we tied the ropes to the side of the dock and went inside for a bite to eat. It slowly drifted away. Like we were outside for 15 mins putting things up and it was not even noticeable.

2 things that led to the boat being in the middle of the lake:

1. we did not make sure we were anchored to the dock in the first place

2. and we were not paying attention or aware of what was happening for a while

Silly example but that is the language that is being used here:

PAY ATTENTION! This greek word is a present tense infinitive… We are to run. We are to watch. We are to pay attention. It means presently and ongoing. With each conflict, with each problem they face, with each relative that walks away from them, their attention is not on this message…it is elsewhere.

The preacher reminds them of the salvation that has come in Christ. Reminds them of how they heard and know this to be true.....

announced by the Lord

confirmed by those that walked with him

signs, wonders, gifts of the Holy Spirit.

He is turning their eyes to what they know. The testimony and revelation that has already been proclaimed.

You have all the evidence you need. Cling to it. Participate in this salvation, so that when the waves come you are secure. Do not drift.

What

Different waves:

We do not have the same waves. What are our waves? What causes us to drift.

We create God in our own image

We want God, but we want God in our own terms. So we drift away from anything that anchors us or challenges us to be more or different or holy. It is a self-serving religion to dismiss the parts we don’t like. We see this everywhere as we drift into our culture. We wear masks, we refuse vulnerability because that could hurt, we give a little to feel good, and we keep God at arms length and in the box that we want him in.

It is not overnight but a slow drift to a point where we convince ourselves that the love of God is meant to just make you feel good, comfortable, happy.

Listen, grace is not loving you as you are. Hear me out. God welcomes you as you are, but once you are anchored to him he has more in mind! Grace is loving you in spite of your mess and loving you into who he has created you to be. Do not cheapen grace by making it fluffy. Grace cost the life of Jesus.

2. We are too busy

We drift because we are too busy. It does not happen overnight but one calendar addition at a time. I don’t think I need to explain this as much....you get it. But listen, let me ask you this…Is your allegiance to Christ more important than your kid playing little league? If it is then you can participate and find a way to make it work....if it isnt then we will see you after baseball season. You can replace little league with whatever commitment that is on your calendar.

3. We are narcissists

Ouch, I know. But hear me out. We convince ourselves that we do not need God. This goes all the way back to fall. We believe we can do it our way and fix ourselves. Surrender and submission is utterly offensive. Taking a quiz today, we may not self select that we want to be god of our life....but think about it. We do not give Him credit for our victories and we only run to him when we are out of options.

Salvation is in process

The author of Hebrews is clear that salvation is more of a journey and less of an event.

Pay attention. Grab hold. participate. Paul puts it this way.

Philippians 2:12–13 NIV

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

The first emphasis shines through in Wesley's most pointed definition of salvation: “By salvation I mean, not barely (according to the vulgar notion) deliverance from hell, or going to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health … the renewal of our souls after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy, and truth” (Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, Pt. I, §3).

II. Salvation Defined

For Wesley salvation does not consist of merely “going to heaven” because it is not an after-death experience but “a present thing”(The Scripture Way of Salvation, 44). While Wesley calls salvation a “present thing,” he does not mean that “all this salvation is given at once”(A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, 380). Rather, he means it is presently occurring, for salvation is

“the entire work of God from the first dawning of grace in the soul, till it is consummated in glory”(SW-44). Wesley understands salvation to “consist of two parts, justification and sanctification”(SW-44). 

Heard this quote this week and it rings true.... “Oh how I hope that God is not done saving me yet.”

Salvation is something we walk in. The warning today is simple.

It is not, if you die today do you know where you are going....the warning and the question for us all is ....do you know where you are right now? Tomorrow. etc.